1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to wheelchairs, and specifically to a wheelchair driven by an electric motor according to a constantly applied physical motion.
2. Background
Many people are physically disabled and bound to wheelchairs. Some of these people are of such an age or level of mental development that they are unable to maturely handle a standard joystick-type powered wheelchair. For example, imagine a two year old child with a degenerative muscular disease that prevents her from using a fully manual wheel chair. It is very desirable that she and other children in similar situations be able to move about under their own volition due to the importance of exploration to a young child's development. Such children are too young to responsibly manage a standard joystick-type electric wheelchair, and thus it is desirable to provide a device that will produce motion only in response to a continuous physical motion. This need for physical input automatically limits the range and speed that the child may move because she will eventually get tired and stop.